Chesterfield have announced that Ashgate Hospicecare will be the club’s official charity partner during the 2015/16 season.

Ali Ward-Foster, fundraising manager for AshgateHospicecare, is delighted with the partnership.

She said: “We are so excited to be official charity partners of the much-loved Spireites.

“Ashgate Hospicecare has been supported by the football club for many years and hosting our Sparkle Night Walk is just one fantastic way they have offered their support to the hospice.

“I have no doubt that working together as official partners will really make a difference to our patients and their families. Each year Ashgate Hospicecare nurses provide care to over 2,000 patients - that’s enough people to fill the Kop!”

Commenting on the new partnership, Chesterfield’s head of commercial and marketing Kevin Fitzgerald said: “Getting a local charity in partnership with the club is something that I have wanted to do since I joined the club.

“We have worked a lot more closely with Ashgate Hospicecare since the start of the season, and both Eleven Sports and Individual Homecare Services donated their respective matchday sponsorships for the recent home game against Wigan Athletic.

“I have come to understand what Ashgate Hospicecare means to the people of Chesterfield, so it made perfect sense to make them the club’s first official charity partner.”

Becoming an official partner of the club entitles Ashgate Hospicecare to a number of benefits aimed at helping the charity with their fundraising and profile-building activities, including:

- Members of the Spireites first team to make regular appearances at Ashgate Hospicecare fundraising events.

- A donation from the club’s fundraising proceeds.

- Access to signed shirts, balls and tickets for fundraising purposes

- Use of the club’s badge for promotional purposes.

- Promotion of the charity’s events in the club’s matchday programme.

- Promotional messages on the Proact Stadium’s giant video screen, as well as on the club website.

- The chance to carry out various bucket collections during the season.